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Professional Reviews For This Wine

Wine Advocate | Rating: 98

The finest proprietary red produced by Pahlmeyer to date is their 1997 (a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the rest Petit-Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec). Production is 3,300 cases, and the wine tips the scales at 14.7% alcohol. A super-rich, blockbuster effort, it exhibits an opaque purple color in addition to a fabulous bouquet of black fruits, espresso, cocoa, mocha, and flowers. A prodigious red, with low acidity, spectacular concentration, and fabulous purity as well as overall symmetry, it can be drunk now, but promises to last for 20-25 years.

Very saturated black ruby to the rim. Dark aromas of cassis, black raspberry, licorice, maple syrup, shoe polish and flowers. Superripe and compellingly layered and deep; as thick and sweet as the merlot but more tactile, with a stronger impression of acidity and structure and superb flavor definition. Thoroughly ripe, noble tannins reach the entire palate. Pahlmeyer still shows a slight preference for his cabernet sauvignon-based blend. "The merlot, after all, used to be the leftover juice, the stuff that didn't go into the red blend," he explained.

Rating: 94
Author:Stephen G41Trust Rating:
96Tasted On:
02/07/2009
The Pahlmeyer proprietary blend has always given great drinking pleasure and this was no exception. Subtle nose, soft on the palate and beautiful finish.

Average rating: 96, based on
7 reviews

More Vintages and Sizes of Pahlmeyer - Red:

Collector Data For This Wine

1670 bottles owned by
533 collectors.

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About This Producer

Pahlmeyer started over 20 years ago when former trial attorney Jayson Pahlmeyer decided to turn his passion for wine into a career in Napa Valley. After studying viticulture and oenology at the University of Bordeaux, Pahlmeyer returned to the United States and produced his first wine (a Bordeaux blend) in 1986. Under the guidance of Pahlmyer, and current winemaker Erin Green, this reputation endures, annually establishing the estate as one of the finest producers of Bordeaux blends, Merlot, and Chardonnay in California.

Wine Varietal: Bordeaux Blend

Six varieties are permitted to be used in a red Bordeaux blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and, less frequently, Carmenere. Each lends a specific characteristic to the finished blends, most of which are dominated by large percentages of either Cabernet Sauvignon, which brings aromatics and age-ability, or Merlot, which adds softness and body. In the Bordeaux region, Cabernet blends are found on the Left Bank and Merlot on the Right.